Astros need improved effort in second half to avoid worst season in team history

General manager Ed Wade said with a laugh that when given 70 games, the goal is to go 70-0, and that, coincidentally, would give them a 100 in the win column.

That’s the unlikely spot to find that round number. As they reconvened Thursday to start the second half, they did so needing to go 33-37 in order to avoid their first 100-loss season in their 49-year history and must play .500 or better in order to avoid their worst ever season.

So improvement is certainly on the mind as the Astros try to put their 30-62 start behind them on this homestand against the Pirates and Nationals.

“We in here don’t think those teams are that much better than us,” third baseman Chris Johnson said. “So we have to go out in the second half, bust our butt and try to prove it.”

Based on their runs scored and runs allowed, the Astros project to five games better than they actually are as they have let winnable games slip away via baseball’s worst blown save rate and some poorly-timed fundamental misplays.

“You look back at the first couple of months and the opportunities we had to win games and those things got away from us a little bit,” manager Brad Mills said. “Those are the games we want to win to get started right away.”

A seller in a big buyers’ market

Sixteen of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams entered and exited the All-Star break within five games of a playoff spot, and even though the Astros are hardly one of them, that statistic keeps them very busy this time of year.

As the Astros are preparing to be sellers at the trade deadline, the more teams in contention, the more prospective buyers.

“We’re going to be viewed as a land of opportunity for teams to try to improve the teams that are in contention,” general manager Ed Wade said.

“All you have to do is wake up every morning and look at the standings and see how many teams are potential buyers in the market. Right now, if you look at it objectively, there are probably at least half the clubs that have hopes of legitimately being in the thing at the end.”

Wade reiterated the Astros will listen on anybody, though Michael Bourn, Hunter Pence and Wandy Rodriguez appear the most appealing targets to teams in need of one more player to bolster a playoff run.

Bourgeois working his way back

Jason Bourgeois, out with a strained quadriceps muscle, is close to leaving the Gulf Coast League rehab environs for a higher-level rehab assignment but the Astros want to be extremely cautious.

“The one thing we want to make sure of is to make sure we’re giving him an opportunity to get healthy,” said general manager Ed Wade who doubts that Bourgeois was completely healthy when he came back the first time and was reinjured. “In his desire to want to be out there every day, he’s going to tell you he’s closer than he is. We have to make sure that he’s there.”

Happ gets in some simulated work

Lefthander J.A. Happ threw two simulated innings to live hitters at the Astros workout on Thursday and said he came out of it with no issues. Happ has 11 days between starts and with a 5.76 ERA has tried to curb his struggles via these sessions rather than just the normal bullpens.

Chacin released

Gustavo Chacin, who had a 4.70 ERA in 44 games with the big league Astros last year, was released after struggling in Class AAA (3-6, 5.13 ERA) and never getting a call-up.

Let us not mourn his release, rather celebrate the fact that it all-but-seals his status as the best hitter in Astros history as he homered in his one big league at-bat in an Astros uniform.

Oklahoma City also activated Jeff Fulchino from the disabled list.

Team signs Panamanian teen

The Astros signed 16-year-old Panamanian righthander Harold Arauz, who excelled in the Dominican Prospect League and became the first player from Panama to sign a contract through the DPL. While the Astros have not handed out any of the biggest bonuses, they have been fairly active since July 2, when the international signing period opened for this year’s crop of 16-year-olds.

Paralyzed draft pick to throw out first pitch

Buddy Lamothe, the Astros draft pick who was paralyzed in a swimming accident leading to his selection as a gesture of goodwill, will throw out the first pitch at Monday’s game at Minute Maid Park.

Lamothe, a former standout at San Jacinto College whom the Astros had scouted, will take in batting practice and meet Astros players in addition.